Living on a college campus is unlike any other living experience out there. You’re away from your home and family, but not quite out in the “real world.” In a dorm, you’re surrounded by people (mostly) your own age, and you'll probably feel a slight summer camp or sleepover vibe more often than not. So going out on a limb and doing things for yourself that were once done by the adults in your life cements the fact that you, my dear, are the primary adult in your own life now. It’s kind of scary, but also kind of empowering, and makes for a pretty cool day. Here’s a list of what I did today that made me feel like I had it together, and like a fully functional member of society.
Woke up at a reasonable hour:
Although I ignored my alarms that went off at 8:15 and 8:30, by about 9:30 I had finally mustered up the motivation to get out of bed and greet the day. The sun was shining, and it felt pretty good to actually experience morning on a weekend.
Ate breakfast:
I’m a huge fan of and believer in breakfast food, but don’t always make it to breakfast on Saturdays. But, because I woke up at a reasonable hour, I had plenty of time to eat some morning-time food to fuel my day.
Went to the gym:
Whoa. Working out on a Saturday is a rare occurrence, even more so for a Saturday morning. But it felt good to cross that off my to-do list. Actually, it was a great form of procrastination; I was able to put off doing homework but felt productive because exercise and self-care is extremely important.
Washed my hair AND shaved my legs:
Of course after going to the gym a shower was necessary, but all the extra effort that hair washing and shaving requires is optional as heck. Not everyone shaves, but I do, and I feel super put-together whenever I’ve showered, shaved, and put on real clothes all in the same day. Plus, one of the best feelings is shaved legs against clean sheets when you’re getting ready to go to bed.
Got my car inspected:
I’ve never done any kind of car maintenance entirely solo, so this was a first. But, after running through what a state inspection involves (which is actually super straightforward) with my dad, I found the place, got in, got out, and felt very official driving away. Taking care of a car is a huge part of being a responsible adult, which means getting your vehicle inspected on time and keeping things maintained so you can drive easy knowing your ride is safe. It felt very adult and mature to be able to handle it all myself, and it didn’t even take an hour!
Did some homework while waiting for said car inspection:
Ah, multitasking. The true mark of efficiency and productivity. Waiting in a long line? Sitting in an auto-shop waiting for the shop guys to return your car? Always having something with you to work on while you wait means you can whittle away at homework in chunks, and feel like you’re using your time wisely.
Refilled and picked up a prescription:
This goes back to self-care; making sure your prescriptions are up-to-date and refilled on time is an extremely important part of taking care of yourself. In the past, one of my parents was always in charge of doctor’s appointments, prescription filling and refilling, and the like. But now that we’re on our own (for the most part), it’s important to know how to take care of this ourselves. It’s as easy as finding a pharmacy nearby, calling, and asking for a refill! No excuse not to do it.
Put on real, clean clothes:
Sometimes it gets really easy to get into a clothing slump, throwing on things that are nearby and relatively clean to make it to class on time. But it feels really put-together to find an actual outfit, put it on, and wear it out into the world. Look good, feel good is definitely a thing, and it definitely works.
Went to a grill-out at a friend’s apartment:
It’s easy to stay on campus, focusing our entire lives on what’s happening in the hedges and hanging out primarily in someone’s dorm room. So going out into the world, in the aforementioned real-person outfit, is a refreshing change to the occasional monotony of campus social life.
Made a to-do list of all things that need to be done before spring break:
Although to-do lists can be scary as hell sometimes, they can really help make things more organized. By figuring out what the next few weeks hold, I can plan time accordingly and feel like the boss-ass b*tch I was born to be.
Although this is a list of things I did today, it’s also a little bit more. It’s a list of things that "real" adults do, and that we should all strive to make more regular parts of our lives. Here’s to hoping we all manage to find our ways in this world, and that we can act like functioning members of society in the process.
